


Ladies in Waiting

by PrincessDianaArtemis



Series: Ineffable Husbands AU Week [5]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Adam Young and Crowley are Siblings, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Regency, Arranged Marriage, Aziraphale Loves Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale and Gabriel are Siblings (Good Omens), Beelzebub and Crowley are Siblings, Best Friends, Creepy Sandalphon (Good Omens), Crowley Loves Aziraphale (Good Omens), F/F, Female Aziraphale (Good Omens), Female Crowley (Good Omens), Friends to Lovers, Ineffable Husbands (Good Omens), Ineffable Wives | Female Aziraphale/Female Crowley (Good Omens), Mutual Pining, The Bandstand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:22:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26635795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrincessDianaArtemis/pseuds/PrincessDianaArtemis
Summary: Aziraphale Fell and Antía Crowley, best friends, have been betrothed to each other since they were young. In their childhood, they made a promise that they would do whatever it took to not marry and ruin their friendship.It's been ten years since they've seen each other - and some feelings change once they catch a glimpse of their old friend.
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale & Gabriel (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Beelzebub & Gabriel (Good Omens), Crowley & Adam Young (Good Omens), Hastur/Ligur (Good Omens), The Them & Adam Young (Good Omens)
Series: Ineffable Husbands AU Week [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1931962
Comments: 11
Kudos: 71
Collections: ineffable wives or female presenting





	Ladies in Waiting

The approaching carriage towards the mansion was bringing a little bounce to Lady Aziraphale’s feet, at her side her brother squeezed her arm.

“Calm down, Aziraphale,” said Gabriel. “I know it’s the first time you’ve seen your betrothed in ten years, but this is unbecoming of a lady of your standing.”

Aziraphale fought the urge to stick out her tongue and instead turned her attention to the stopping carriage that was now being opened to reveal the Crowleys. 

Salema and Lucius Crowley came out first, greeting her mother and Gabriel with the respect of one aristocratic family to the other. Then walked out Lady Beatrice - though they refused to be called Lady. Bea smirked up at Gabriel, who flustered under the attention, then curtsied to Lady Grace before standing at the side of her parents. The youngest child, Adam, ran out next and hugged Aziraphale, complementing her and shooting a dimpled smile up at the laughing woman.

And finally, the last member of the family stepped down. The black dress with red laces wove up the lithe body and up to the face of the red-haired woman. 

Aziraphale swallowed hard against the lump in her throat as she met the honey-gold eyes of her best friend and fiancee. The woman was beautiful, more beautiful than she had been when she left all those years ago. Her dark-red hair was pinned back and her smile lit up her freckled face as she curtsied to the elders of the family, to the siblings, then turned to face Aziraphale again.

“Aziraphale,” she said, eyes softening. “It’s so great to see you.”

Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest, “Antía. It’s wonderful to see you as well. I - I missed you so.”

“Same here, angel,” she said. “I’m glad to be back.”

“Well,” said Grace, breaking the moment between them with a knowing little smile on her face. “We have so much to catch up on. Come on in, old friends. Let’s get a wiggle on.”

Adam ran forward while the rest of them took a more casual stride. Beatrice was making comments to Gabriel that was bringing a blush up his neck towards his cheeks.

Antía for her part walked close to Aziraphale, the back of her hand brushing Aziraphale’s, “Do you want to go to the garden - we can do some catching up away from - well, honestly, Bea and Gabriel’s weird thing.”

She nodded, smiling when she saw the shy tug of Antía’s lips. Aziraphale ignored the weird, insistent tug in the depth of her stomach though her mind was running with a simple mantra of ‘oh, no oh, no oh,  _ no _ .’

-

Antía had been watching Aziraphale since the carriage had reached a curve to where she could keep an eye on her. Her heartbeat thundered in her ear as she caught a glimpse of her oldest friend - of her  _ fiancee _ . 

She’d never forgotten the starlight hair and the hazel eyes, but looking at how she’d grown from her childish fat into a soft roundness with ample breasts and curving rear, Antía felt her mouth become dry.

“Is that her?” asked Adam, crawling over her lap to get a better look. “Is that Aziraphale? Oh, wow, she’s really pretty. You sure you don’t wanna marry her because I could do it - if she’ll wait.”

She blushed and pushed Adam away, “Enough, Hellspawn. Yes, that’s - that’s Azi.”

Bea whistled, “Damn, sis, she’s fucking gorgeous. And I heard that she’s terribly smart - and a smartass. Perfect for you, Tee.”

Antía ignored her siblings and mulled in the feeling of her churning stomach. The feeling only grew as she got closer to Aziraphale and noticed the sparkling of her hazel eyes, the pink of her cheeks and plumped lips, and the swell of her chest exposing her cleavage in her fashionable dress. 

As they reached into the garden of the estate, Aziraphale led them to a familiar corner - the bandstand - the last place they’d ever been together. 

The place they’d agreed to go against their family’s wishes and not get married to each other - choosing to be friends rather than lovers.

Antía couldn’t help regret making that agreement as she met Aziraphale’s blinding smile.

“It’s so great to see you, dearest. I did miss you terribly these years,” she said, reaching over and taking Antía’s hand. “My dearest Crowley, your letters weren’t enough to keep me happy. Just seeing you is enough to bring me so much joy.”

“I missed you too,” said Antía, stroking the knuckles of the soft, white hand. “I didn’t think I’d ever come back - it felt like Mum and Dad would never return - if it weren’t for Adam, it might not have happened.”

Aziraphale’s face lit up, “He’s so big, dear. And he’ll love it here. There are so many children his age now - little Pippin and Bryan and Wensley and even quiet Warlock - all would be wonderful friends for him. But please, tell me about your years away.”

The two sat there and shared their stories, holding hands and leaning in towards each other until Adam, smirking, appeared and leaned against the metal of the bandstand.

“It’s time to eat,” he said. “And Lord Gabriel is worried that the two of you are up to something untoward.”

“So they sent  _ you _ , little Hellspawn? Not too smart,” said Antía, ruffling his unruly mop of hair.

He shrugged, “I knew that you weren’t. After all, isn’t it that the two of you said you  _ wouldn’t  _ marry each other.”

The smiles on both women’s faces slipped.

“Erm, right,” she said, turning to Aziraphale and reaching out her arm. “Come, Azi, let’s go to dinner.”

Aziraphale’s smile returned, smaller but just as warm, as she took Antía’s arm, “Lead the way, dear.”

The three of them made their way back into the manor, Adam sharing with Aziraphale all his favorite things as the woman paid attention to each childish comment he makes with a laugh, tugging her friend’s arm closer in amusement. 

Antía smiled and relished in the feel of the arm in his - she just hoped that her heart’s thundering slows down.

_ Oh, dear Lord, no. _

-

Gabriel leaned against the piano as Aziraphale practiced, and watched her with a smirk until she looked up at him and made a face.

“What is it, Gabriel?”

He hummed and plucked at the strings within the piano, ruining her music, “You seemed quite happy to see Antía. Does this mean you’ve reconsidered that silly promise the two of you made?”

Aziraphale was quiet, blushing as her brother scanned her expression and his smirk widened into a smile, “I knew it. You’ve always loved Antía and now you’ve actually fallen for her.”

“Gabriel, please. She’s my best friend, I’ve missed her very much,” said Aziraphale, sliding out of the bench and turning her back on her brother. “So I would appreciate it if you don’t start rumours that’ll through the household into a tizzy.”

“There’s nothing wrong with loving your betrothed,” said Gabriel, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve been taking care of this family for a very long time and it’s time you make your own life - and who better than someone you love like Antía.”

She sighed, “Even if I did love her like that, Gabriel. She made her point strongly all those years ago and she might not be interested.”

His hand squeezed on her shoulder, “Keep your head up, Sunshine. I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

Aziraphale scoffed, “Sure, Gabriel, just as I’m sure you won’t be mortified by Bea’s comments.”

She left him stammering after her and made her way out to the garden, to the sunny spot of the bandstand. The memory of this place would always be bittersweet - it was always the place that she and Antía would play princesses and knights and hide from the older siblings. 

But it was where they said goodbye. Where her friend had grabbed her hand in both of her spindly fingered grasp and looked her in the eye:

“I love you Azi, but you’re my best friend - I don’t want to marry you and risk ruining that,” Antía said, always wiser than her age would imply. She’d looked at her with those wide, honey-gold eyes that looked sad.

Aziraphale, without understanding her friend’s worry, squeezed her hand and answered, “I love you, too and - if you’re afraid that’ll happen then we won’t get married. We’ll just be best friends forever.”

She sighed, running a hand over the greening metal that remembered more than she, “Best friends forever - best friends and nothing more. Even though - even though she’s the most beautiful being in the world, the smartest, the most creative - the only person I’ve ever loved and everything I’ll ever want and need and,” Aziraphale stopped, hand pressing against her chest. “And she won’t ever marry me.”

Though there was an ache in her heart, she took a steadying breath and squared her shoulders, “Buck up, Zira. She’s your friend and she loves you as that - take what you can get.”

She settled into the bandstand with her book and tried to keep her mind off her heartache.

-

Adam had been watching Antía pace from one side of the sitting room to the other for about twenty minutes, and he was getting dizzy.

“Tia, you’ve gotta stop - so you’re in love with your friend, what’s the worst thing that’s gonna happen?” he asked, eyes still tracking her before she stopped and turned to him.

“You don’t understand, Hellspawn, you’re so young,” she said, sighing. “I made such a big deal about not getting married - about being afraid to ruin our friendship and now- ”

“Why were you so afraid?”

“Uncle Hester and Uncle Luthor - they told me how Uncle Luther was going to get married to his best friend but when he met Hesti, he turned her down and - it ruined their friendship and they never talked again. And they’d been friends since childhood.”

The young boy frowned, “Tia, for someone so smart you’re being really stupid. Aziraphale loves you, it’s so obvious, can’t you just tell her you do too?”

“And what happens if she doesn’t? What happens if she does but not enough to marry me?”

Adam rolled his eyes, “Okay. Whatever Tia. But I’m gonna prove that you two deserve to get married and you’re both going to thank me, just you see.”

Antía wrung her hands, nervous, watching the boy jump to his feet and leave. She knew that she’d loved Aziraphale since they were young, and she knew that there wouldn’t be anyone else for her than Aziraphale, but she couldn’t risk losing her the way Uncle Luthor had lost his friend Makayla. 

“Antía,” called Bea, slipping into the room behind her and draping their shorter frame along her back. “I know what’s going on in your head - and whatever Adam said he’s probably right. Azi loves you, has always loved you. And we’ll be celebrating your marriage by the end of the year. Trust me.”

She leaned back against her sibling, “I hope so, Bea. I really do.”

-

For the next few weeks, Grace and the Crowleys encouraged their daughters to spend as much time together as possible. Though the two had been betrothed from a young age, neither family wanted to push the tremulous trust that their daughters had in them to not force them to marry. 

No. If they were to marry it should be because they chose it.

So Aziraphale and Antía were allowed to walk the grounds and peruse the shops together - followed by one of the siblings in the shadows or by Adam and his new pack of friends. Their friendship grew in spades - openly displaying their affections and catching up on the years away. 

And every second they spent together they fell a little more in love.

It was while they were in town, arm-in-arm and laughing at Adam’s playing, that they were interrupted by a nasally voice.

“Aziraphale, it’s lovely to see you around,” the voice said, attached to it was a short, stocky man with a little sneer to his nose and a gold tooth flashing at them.

Her grip on Antía’s arm tightened as she gave him a polite smile, “Sandy, how - erm - nice to see you. How is your mother?”

He waved the question aside, “She’s just fine, Aziraphale. But tell me, have you considered my proposal? Your parents never gave an answer when I asked for your hand - said it would be up to you.”

Antía felt her own grip tighten, but Aziraphale continued, “I was flattered, Sandy, but I’ve been betrothed for a while and - ”

“A betrothed that doesn’t even want you,” the man said with a hiccough of a laugh. “Don’t you think you’re better off with someone that does?”

Aziraphale gave a shuddering breath, “Sandy, I think I should’ve stopped you before you embarrassed yourself - but it seems too late for that. I should’ve introduced you to my betrothed - Lady Antía Crowley.”

Sandy’s face paled as he glanced over at the woman that straightened up and met his gaze with eyes of hardened amber. He bid his apologies and farewells before stumbling away and finding himself being pelted by the not so stray pebbles of Adam’s friend’s slingshots.

Antía, now smug, turned to Aziraphale and was shocked to see her eyes filled with tears. Without asking what was wrong, she tugged her friend away from the crowded street and into the park across the street, sitting her at one of the benches and cupping her face.

“Aziraphale, dove, what’s wrong?”

She shook her head, “It’s nothing, dearest, don’t worry. I know I shouldn’t let his words get to me but - it did. Oh, how I  _ hate  _ that pompous arse.”

Antía stroked Aziraphale’s face, “He is. But don’t let him get to you - your mother wouldn’t force you to marry someone like that, you know that she wants you to be happy.”

“That’s not it, Tia. I - I hate that I thought he was right. That you don’t  _ want _ me,” Aziraphale said, with a hiccough. “Love, I can’t pretend that I don’t - that I don’t love you, that I don’t want to be with you forever. Antía, I love you and I  _ want  _ to marry you and you don’t - don’t want that. You’ve  _ never  _ wanted that.”

“Azi, no,” she said, wiping away her tears. “No, he’s  _ wrong _ . I love you, Azi. I’ve always loved you and I know that I said I didn’t want to ruin our friendship with marriage but - I love you and I do. You’re the only one I’d ever want to marry. Aziraphale - will you? Will you marry me?”

The teary hazel eyes blinked up at him, eyelashes dark with casting a pretty arch when she blinked, “Oh, really?”

Antía nodded, “Yes, angel. I love you and I want to marry you, I always wanted it but now I'm sure - more sure than anything in my life. I know this is one hell of a proposal, but do you - do you accept?”

Aziraphale leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss against Antía’s lips, then pulling away with a little moue, “I do. Of course, I do.”

They shared a smile and a laugh, pressing together for another kiss - and another - and another until Adam’s loud ‘ew’ rang through the park and brought them into a bigger set of giggles. 

“We should get going, let our parents know.”

Another bout of giggles, “We should - and let’s not give Adam a reason to throw up his lunch.”

Adam agreed from a distance, cheering with his pack of Them as they were joined by the women and made their way back to the carriage to announce their future - and cost Gabriel the bet he made with Bea.


End file.
